England vs Albania: Road to North America begins under new boss | OneFootball

A road to the 2026 World Cup begins on Friday as England and Albania lock horns in their qualifying Group K opener.

Heavily backed to secure a top spot in the group featuring Andorra, Latvia and Serbia, the former world champions embark on a new journey under Thomas Tuchel.

Despite leading the country to two major finals during his eight-year tenure, Gareth Southgate had to step down after failing to end the Three Lions’ long-standing title drought.

It will be up to Tuchel to bring home the first piece of silverware since 1966 after helping Chelsa ascend the Champions League throne during his relatively brief reign at Stamford Bridge.

New dawn

Tuchel’s touchline debut marks England’s first outing in 2025, with fans hoping to see one of the world’s most intimidating squads finally deliver on its promise.

After closing things out in 2024 on a high, England should take the field in a buoyant mood, having secured an immediate return to the Nations League’s top table under caretaker boss Lee Carsley.

Three consecutive victories towards the end of his temporary stint in the dugout saw the Three Lions beat Greece to a top-table finish in Group B2, courtesy of a superior goal difference.

Harry Kane and his teammates have been ruthless since the Greeks humbled them 2-1 At Wembley Stadium in October, netting an eye-catching 11 goals in three games.

A 5-0 home triumph against the Republic of Ireland to cap off a dominant Nations League run should serve as an ultimate confidence booster ahead of the upcoming World Cup qualifying campaign.

Lofty ambitions

After making it all the way to the 2024 European Championship final, only to be beaten by Spain, England will start their World Cup qualifying route with sights locked on the showpiece tournament.

Reaching the finals is the bare minimum fans expect from the Three Lions’ star-studded squad, especially now that the new sheriff is in town, bidding to build on Southgate’s foundation.

Tuchel’s first assignment is to ensure England avoid the embarrassment of missing a World Cup for the first time since the 1994 edition, which was ominously held in the United States.

It’s still early to talk about the country’s potential on the grandest stage, but expectations will be sky-high as Tuchel looks to turn England into genuine contenders for the 2026 tournament.

For starters, they must lock down a place in North America.

Tricky opposition

Although the Three Lions boast a perfect six-game record against upcoming rivals Albania, they’d be well-advised not to take anything for granted.

Sylvinho’s side may have fallen at the group stage hurdle at Euro 2024, but they demonstrated great spirits and impressive football in a highly competitive group alongside Croatia, Italy and Spain.

Albania’s visit kicks off England’s fixtures in the new qualifying cycle, and starting on the front foot will be imperative, particularly from a mental point.

Stuck 61 places below Tuchel’s team in FIFA’s rankings, Albania have nothing to lose and all to gain in London as they head into proceedings on a dismal run of three defeats from their last five internationals.

They have never beaten a nation ranked inside FIFA’s top ten in a competitive match across the previous 19 attempts, suffering 17 losses in that period.

However, single-goal margin defeats to Spain and Italy at Euro 2024 showed Albania’s ability to compete against elite teams, suggesting they won’t be pushovers at Wembley.

Potential Line-ups

England (4-2-3-1): Pickford; Walker, Guehi, Colwill, Lewis-Skelly; Henderson, Rice; Foden, Bellingham, Rashford; Kane.

Albania (4-2-3-1): Strakosha; Balliu, Ismajli, Djimsiti, Aliji; Asllani, Ramadani; Asani, Bajrami, Muci; Manaj.